In 1997, the Asia New Zealand Foundation began regularly tracking New Zealanders’ perceptions of Asia and Asian peoples through an annual survey.
In New Zealanders’ Perceptions of Asia and Asian Peoples: 1997-2011, Phil Gendall, Paul Spoonley and Andrew Butcher describe how New Zealanders’ perceptions changed in the 15 years since the Foundation’s first survey, and analyse the forces that influenced these changes.
The report documents changes in immigration flows and discusses how these affected New Zealanders’ attitudes. It also summarises New Zealanders’ perceptions of Asia and Asians between 1997 and 2011 with a particular focus on trends in New Zealanders’ attitudes towards Asian immigration.
The report concludes by discussing the implications for the next 15 years.